Quote Originally Posted by shootingstar View Post
You know among fire department management, particularily in big cities, for the fullt-time paid firefighters (not volunteer firefighters), there is discussion how a firefighter's time is used when they aren't responding to a fire alarm.

And they aren't all doing inhouse training, physical fitness, work related reading either. And not all of them are out there doing fire prevention education to kids, teens, etc. during non-emergency response times either.
Personally I have no problem with what firefighters do on their downtime: train, play checkers, collect toys for tots, cook chili .... I just want them HERE when there's a fire.

And in many urban areas firefighters are the available healthcare.

Meanwhile since the saying here is California, earthquakes, floods, fires ... here's information about volunteering:

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=886